HC Deb 30 October 1957 vol 575 cc54-5W
68. Mr. Biggs-Davison

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement about the measures taken to give relief to British subjects dismissed from the service of the Egyptian Government in December. 1951.

69. Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is now being done to assist the British subjects who, in December, 1951, were dismissed from the service of the Egyptian Government as a reprisal against British military measures in the Canal zone, when the village of Kafr[...]el Abdu was destroyed; and, as they are still without redress, what consideration has been given to putting them on a similar basis to those who were directly affected by the Suez adventure of 1956 to enable ex-gratia loans to be made to meet immediate needs.

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

My right hon. and learned Friend has great sympathy with this group of officials. Hon. Members will remember that when they were dismissed in 1951, Her Majesty's Embassy in Cairo succeeded, through repeated interventions with the Egyptian authorities, in obtaining for them payments amounting in most cases to three months' salary and allowances in lieu of notice. The Embassy also assisted many of the former officials to find fresh employment; and to complete the many necessary formalities if they wished to leave Egypt quickly. Those who wished to institute legal proceedings in the Egyptian courts were assisted to do so. Subsequently, Her Majesty's Government advanced legal expenses to the officials' Association for the preparation of their cases against the Egyptian Government for further compensation.

During the negotiations for the Canal Base Agreement of 1954, Her Majesty's Government obtained an undertaking that the Egyptian Government would set up a commission to assess the reparation due to the ex-officials. The commission was set up and studied the claims, but its findings have not been announced and no payment has yet been made. The United Kingdom Delegation to the Anglo-Egyptian financial talks this year have again place these claims on record.

Meanwhile, arrangements were made for the Anglo-Egyptian Resettlement Board to make maintenance payments in cases of hardship.

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